Bath seats



Dec. 3, 1968 R. w. STAYTON BATH SEATS 2 Sheets-Shem 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1966 2 allllmllufl PoBERT' w. JrAv-raM,

INVENTOR. @MA at 0014.

ATTORNEY.

I 6 1 A I n .X N 2/ I 6 U j 5 v M R. W STAYTON BATH SEATS Dec. 3, 1968 Filed Dec.

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ROBERT W.J'7AY7'0N, INVENTOR @M/ a Arron/5y.

United States Patent F 3,413,662 BATH SEATS Robert W. Stayton, 420 N. Main St., Eldorado, Ohio 45321 Filed Dec. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 603,657 2 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention pertains to bath seats providing means by which invalids or semi-invalids may safely enter and leave a bath tub and which is capable of being operated solely by the user. The device is easily installed entirely independently of the bath tub and may be swung clear of the bath tub when not in use, thereby eliminating any obstruction of the bath tub when the bath tub is to be used by noninvalids.

The following is a specification with the same being of sufficient clearness as will enable others skilled in the particular art to make and use the same and to obtain the results herein set forth.

I am fully aware that bath seats, per se, are not new in the art. However, such prior bath seats have certain shortcomings in the construction, the installation, and the use thereof.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a bath seat which is versatile in that the same is capable of use with any type of bath tub and without any connections therewith.

A second object is the provision of a bath seat which is simple of construction and which is economical to manufacture.

Further objects and particular advantages of the invention will become more apparent in the course of the following description.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood and appreciated, I will now take up a more detailed description thereof in which the same will be more fully set forth with reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a bath seat embodying the principles of the invention, and showing the same in position with relation to a bath tub.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional-elevation of the bath seat and a bath tub, as taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional-plan view of the bath seat and a portion of th ebath tub, as taken on line 33 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional-plan view similar to that shown in FIGURE 3 but with the bath seat being shown swung to a position tobe lowered into the bath tub.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view through the telescoping members of the device and as taken on line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a detail sectional view of the upper or ceiling fastening member, taken on line 66 of FIGS- URE 1.

FIGURE 7 is a detail section showing the lower supporting member and a portion of the bath tub adjacent thereto, as taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the bath seat and its appurtenances similar to that shown in FIGURE 2, but with the bath seat shown as being swung over the open portion of the tub, as shown in FIGURE 4, and with the bath seat being lowered into the bath tub.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section taken vertically through the telescoping members of the construction.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, letters A desig- 3,413,662 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 nate the floor line or floor construction. Letters B desig nate the ceiling line, and letters C designate the bath tub in the various figures.

1 designates the base member of the device which is secured to the floor by means of suitable screws 2. A piston rod 3 has the lower end thereof rigidly secured in the base member 1. The upper end of piston rod 3 has a piston 4 secured thereon with the piston 4 being positioned in hydraulic cylinder 5. A hydraulic pump 6 is secured on the upper end of cylinder 5, with the pump being provided with a pumping lever 7 and a relief valve screw 8.

A yoke member 9 is secured about the upper end portion of hydraulic cylinder 5 by means of bolt 10. A sup porting member or portion 11 extends from the yoke 9 with the same providing support for tubular seat supporting member 12. Supporting member 11 has an upstanding pin 13 secured thereon with a thrust bearing 14 being fitted thereon. A plate 15 is welded or otherwise permanently secured in the lower end portion of tubular member 12 with the same being bored to fit about pin 13. Plate 15 is located from the lower end of tubular member 12 a distance slightly less than the thickness of thrust bearing 14 and thereby providing a clearance between the lower end of tubular member 12 and the upper surface of supporting member 11 and permitting rotation of tubular member 12 without riding on the upper surface of supporting member 11.

A vertically-disposed guide member 16 has the upper end thereof secured into ceiling bracket 17 by means of pin 18. Ceiling bracket 17 is rigidly secured into the ceiling construction by means of screws 19 or by other suitable means. Guide member 16 extends downwardly into tubular member 12 with the tubular member 12 being capable of vertical movement with relation to guide member 16.

A seat 20 is provided of a frame 21 having cords 22 forming supporting means for the user. A back 23 is also provided with the same having cords 24 strung thereon. The frame of the seat has suspension means 25 comprising an extension of the frame members with the upper end of suspension means 25 being rigidly secured to the lower portion of tubular member 12 and is carried thereby. An auxiliary brace 26 provides means rigidly maintaining the seat in proper position with relation to tubular member 12 and the hydraulic cylinder 5, as more clearly shown in FIGURE 1. The outer edge of seat 20 is supported by means of cable 27 which has its lower end secured to the seat frame 21 with the upper end thereof being secured to the outer end of supporting bar 28 which is provided with brace 29. One end of each of members 28 and 29 are rigidly secured to and carried by tubular member 12, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 8.

The device is installed by securing base member 1 to the floor construction by means of screws 2. The hydraulic cylinder is brought into position with the lower end of piston rod 3 being positioned and secured in base member 1. Member 11 is securely clamped about the upper end of cylinder 5 by means of member 9 and bolts 10. Thrust bearing 14 is placed over pin 13 with the bearing resting on member 11, after which the lower end of tubular member 12, with guide member 16 having been inserted in member 12, is placed :over bearing 14 with plate 15 resting on the upper surface of thrust bearing 14. The upper end of guide member 16 is secured to the ceiling construction by means of ceiling bracket 17 and screws 19. Tubular member 12, together with the seat, is capable of rotation about pin 13 on thrust bearing 14.

Operation In the use of the bath seat and with the seat being in the position shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the bather sits on the seat with the bather facing away from the bath tub. The bather or an attendant swings or rotates the seat from the position shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 to the position shown in FIGURE 4. Relief valve 8 is then opened permitting the fiuid in the hydraulic cylinder 5 to bypass the piston 4 lowering the bath seat and the bather into the tub with the seat assuming the position shown in FIGURE 8. After the bath, the bather, or the attendant, uses lever 7 to pump the liquid into the upper portion of the hydraulic cylinder 5 and thereby raising the cylinder, the telescoping member 12 and the seat and lifting the seat, after which the seat is swung or rotated to the position shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

It is readily apparent from the foregoing that the bath seat provides means for the use of an invalid and which can normally be operated by the bather without the assistance of an attendant.

It is further to be recognized that the device is independent in that the same is in no manner secured to or connected with the bath tub.

Having now shown and described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by letters patent of the United States, is:

1. A bath seat combination comprising a seat, a hydraulic cylinder, a piston rod extending downwardly from the hydraulic cylinder and having the lower end thereof secured to afioorconstruction adjacent the outside of a bath tub, a tubular seat-supporting member located above the hydraulic cylinder and carried thereby, with the seatsupporting member being supported on a thrust bearing, and with the upper end of the tubular seat-supporting member having a vertically-disposed guide member extending into the upper end of the seat-supporting member.

2. A bath seat combination as set forth in claim 1, said vertically-disposed guide member having its upper end removably secured to a ceiling construction and extending downwardly into the upper end of the seat-supporting member, with the seat-supporting member being revolvable on the vertically-disposed guide member, and capable of being raised and lowered into the bath tub by means of the hydraulic cylinder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1963 Dalton 4-485 5/1964 McCreery 4-185 

